


Melancholia

by theoceaninside



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Work Here, Post Season 4, Pre Season 5, Season 5 Trailer, Slow Burn, Terminus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-24
Updated: 2014-09-09
Packaged: 2018-02-14 13:57:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2194293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoceaninside/pseuds/theoceaninside
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place after the Season 4 finale. Daryl Dixon and a handful of the group find themselves in a compact boxcar in the supposed 'safe haven' Terminus. Daryl knows he should be exerting every energy into escaping and helping cure the world, but searching for someone he lost is far more important.</p>
<p>Lost and alone, kidnapped Beth Greene wakes up in completely new territory. When things start to go awry, she knows that she needs to escape. With no weapons or allies, the only thing Beth knows she can rely on is herself and the hope she will be able to find the only person who tried to protect her when everyone else gave up.</p>
<p>Struggling to deal with the separation, Daryl and Beth are thrown into situations that grow more and more dangerous with each passing moment. When tensions rise and relationships are tested the two must fight their way out of impossible circumstances, even if it means sacrificing the things they hold dearest to them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This is my first work on this site. I'm just experimenting right now, but hey I might stay. Who knows?
> 
> I should state that the original characters will be the people of Terminus and where Beth is being kept.
> 
> I haven't issued any warnings right now, but if I come across a chapter that could be triggering I will post a warning at the start of the chapter.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!

After Rick’s somewhat dramatic revelation, Daryl sat at the back of the boxcar to think. He could feel everyone's eyes on him as he walked and he made sure to look them all in the eye, until he came to Maggie. He wasn’t surprised really, how could he face her after what he had let happen to her father? After what he had let happen to Beth. 

 

How long ago had it been now? Two weeks? A month? The days had begun to fuse into one as he tried to settle into the new group that consisted of a bunch of pricks, the biggest one being called Joe. 

 

Joe would have been considered elderly compared to the rest of his posse, something that had initially surprised Daryl when he had first had the misfortune to encounter them. Daryl had thought that Joe must have taken a shining to him after thinking he had survived on his own for so long, or perhaps it had been because he had intended to kill Daryl and steal his crossbow afterward? He still wasn’t sure what the fuck happened. 

 

He had been searching for Beth who had gone missing only a day or so before when he had come across the what would have been in the old world, bikers. Sure, the majority of them had welcomed him, but that one guy … What was his name? It was funny, at the time that dick had been at the top of his ‘Major Problems’ list and now he hadn’t the slightest clue of what his name was. Daryl racked his brains as he tried to but a name to a face, but all he could see was the state of the fucker’s face after he’d been beaten to death.

 

Daryl was dragged from his reverie by a new presence that sat beside him, he knew who it was before she even spoke. Maggie.

 

“Beth’s not with you?” This was possibly the worst he had ever heard the now eldest Greene. Had it not been obvious that her darling sister wasn’t with him? 

 

“Does it look like she is?” Daryl spat next to him and only realised how bad of an idea it had been afterwards, he’d make sure he didn’t sleep there. 

 

“Don’t snap at me.” He could hear the aggression in Maggie’s tone heighten, but he honestly couldn’t bring himself to tolerate her at the present moment.

 

“She was your responsibility an’ I was the one who was stuck with her.” Perhaps ‘stuck’ had been the wrong word, but his response had been meant to wound her so he didn’t feel all that guilty. Yet.

 

“She … Is she alive?” If his attack had angered her she didn’t show it, but her eyes locked onto his and he found it hard look away as she studied his features.

 

“I don’t know.” He was talking through clenched teeth without even realising now. 

 

“What do you mean you don’t know?” The anger that had previously laced her voice was back and this time was doused in a fresh coat of malice.

 

“I mean, whilst you ran off to find your little boyfriend, Beth went to find Judith but it was too late. I found her. We were together an’ she was desperate to find you, did you bother to find her? She got taken when I went to take on some walkers, so I tried to track her. I couldn’t.”

 

The confession hung in the stale air, he didn’t bother to look at Maggie, he didn’t care. He pretended not to notice when she wiped her eyes on the back of her hands and he ignored her when she threw an obscenity at him, it wasn’t like she could make him feel any worse than he already felt.

 

Daryl rested his head against the cold metal and looked up. He may as well have had his eyes closed it was that dark in this corner of the cart, not that he didn't like it, it just made it easier to sleep.

 

Or it would have if people stopped talking for five minutes. The cart echoed every time someone snored and with someone like Abraham there was no way anyone was sleeping. 

 

Daryl heard quiet footsteps tiptoe over the threshold and make their way to him, but he could tell from their light movements it was Carl. He listened out for the boy, frowning as he realised that he was laying next to him.

 

"Daryl?" Daryl would be plain stupid if he didn't notice the fear in Carl's voice, perhaps the most frightened he had ever heard him. It just reminded him of how much the lanky kid had actually grown since he knew him.

 

"Yeah?" He was surprised to find that his voice was laced in sleep, had he been asleep? His daydreams and nightmares were pretty much the same now.

 

"We're gonna get out of here, right?" 

 

"'Course." Daryl reached out slowly and gently ruffled Carl's hair.

 

The boy soon fell silent and Daryl supposed he was trying to ssleep, so he let his mind drift as he tried to do the same.

 

"We could stay here forever, me and you." Beth risks a sidelong glance at the man beside her. She notices that his hair shines with a red tint in the lamplight when he turns to look out of the window.

 

"Wha'?" His voice is distracted, concentration consumed by looking out for nearby walkers.

 

"I said, we could live here forever." Her voice is less confident now that she has been asked to repeat herself so to combat this she twists her hair around her finger, grimacing as she realises how greasy it is.

 

"Hm," Daryl turns and faces straight ahead, resting his the knuckles of his left hand in his mouth, Beth has noticed he does this when he's uncomfortable or deep in thought. "Guess so."

 

"Would you want to?" Beth turns in her chair in order to get a better look at him and to her surprise, he doesn't shy away.

 

"Guess I'd have t'live with you." Beth catches a sidelong smirk and nudges him in response. "Don't know how much of tha' I could handle." His smirk grows and so does the strength of her shove, they both turn to look at each other and they both fall silent, smiles fading.

 

Beth awoke with a start. Her heart pounded and her eyes watered under the harsh artificial light. Where was she?

 

She could just about hear voices, they sounded distant but something told her they were closer and it was then she realised how blocked her ears were and for one out of body moment she felt like she was underwater. Beth quickly snapped her eyes shut and feigned sleep as she tried to listen.

 

"... She's been here a while now, found her near a funeral home," a male's voice made it's way passed through her ears, though it sounded distorted. "Perhaps I shouldn't have drugged her."

 

"I don't know where you found a drug so strong and in that case, no you shouldn't have. It could prove to be useful." Another male's voice was heard, he sounded older than man #1 but not by much. Perhaps he was a teacher?

 

"Will she wake up?" Man #1 actually sounded concerned and as his voice grew clearer, the memories came flooding back.

 

She and Daryl hadn’t been at the funeral home for very long, but it had felt like weeks. They were beginning to know the place off by heart, whether they needed to go down into the embalming room for whatever reason or up a flight upstairs to get to the bedroom and it felt like home.

 

Beth recalled they were sat at the wooden table near the piano with an array of sweet treats littering the surface. They had just finished their ‘dinner’ when they slipped into one of their regular discussions about the type of people who lived in the world now and how the apocalypse had changed them all so much. Daryl stated there were no good people left in the world, but Beth disagreed.

 

Then there was the sound of a rustling at the door and they had been foolish enough to think that the dog from earlier had come back. It hadn’t. What greeted Daryl at the door instead was horde of walkers, more than either of them could take down. He had called for her to run outside, but she didn’t want to. That was her clearest memory of that night. That she shouldn’t have left him alone back there.

 

But she had run, she ran as fast her injured foot would carry her before stopping at a safe distance to turn around to ensure Daryl was right behind her. She hadn’t even noticed the car coming until strong arms pulled her inside and a needle found its way to her neck. Then it was dark.

 

Maybe Daryl had made it too … The thought presented itself so fiercely that she completely forgot she was pretending to be asleep and she sat bolt upright, but her body was a tangle of wires that constricted her movements,

 

“Woah, hold it …” It was Man #2. Gentle hands found their way to her shoulders and guided her back down to the pillow whilst Man #1 untangled the wires around her body.

 

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Beth focussed her vision and forced her heart rate to slow down, she had to keep reminding herself to breathe.

 

“Beth.” Why did she tell them her real name? These people who had stolen her from the only person she knew was still alive in this piece of shit world and here she was, telling them about herself. It felt like she was betraying Daryl. Daryl would have made up a name.

 

“Alright, Beth. My name is Derrick, and that over there is Kyle, okay?” Derrick was the older man. He had a kind face with an even kinder smile, he was gentle and soft, made to be a Doctor really, just like her daddy.

 

Kyle waved at her from the other side of the bed and she was surprised to see that he wasn’t actually much older than herself. He seemed to have the same looks at Derrick so she supposed that Derrick was his father, it would make sense for them both to be doctors anyway.

 

“Why am I here?” Another pang of betrayal for Daryl resonated through her and she shook her head slightly. “I mean, is my friend here too?” Beth looked around, her eyes sweeping the beds beside her, surely if he was here he would be next to her?

 

“You were the only one brought to us …” Beth didn’t miss the uneasy glance Kyle threw across to Derrick.

 

Beth wasn’t surprised, but a sinking feeling still grew in the pit of her stomach and she had to inhale deeply to keep herself calm. She was here alone and Daryl … Where was he? 

 

“Now that you’re awake, we need to get you up and dressed, there’s someone here who wants to see you.” Derrick explained as helped Beth up from her bed. He walked with her, holding her arm to steady her as he guided her towards the showers.

 

“There’s a chair, incase you feel faint.” The older man offered, smiling as he did so. He gave her a small bundle of clothes and left her alone.

 

It was a large room, bare completely apart from the showerhead and chair that was built into the wall. Beth undressed after locking the door and unfolded the chair as she sat down, delicately. There was already a protective film across the seat, which she was grateful for. She quickly hit the notch on the shower and hot water cascaded from the showerhead and in no time at all it was impossible to distinguish what was water and what were tears.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth begins to realise how bad her situation is when she is taken to see someone of higher power that resides in the compound she's in.
> 
> Judgement Day calls for Daryl Dixon and the rest of Terminus' prisoners as they are taken to the slaughterhouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I have proof read this story, but of course there will always been mistakes!
> 
> Enjoy!

After emerging from the shower after God knows how long, Beth looked down at the clothes she had been given. They looked like hospital scrubs that had never been worn, how many resources did this place have? Beth made sure the door was locked once more before getting changed into the scrubs, though they felt strange on her she had to admit it felt good wearing new underwear even if they weren’t her style.

 

“All ready?” Derrick flashed a kind smile at her and despite everything she was feeling, Beth found it within herself to smile back. Hershel always said that there was no excuse for bad manners.

 

“Yep …” With a quick look around her, Beth realised there was no one else in the room, despite all the empty beds. She decided not to let it bother her and she followed Derrick out of the room. 

 

They came across Kyle, who nodded once in Beth’s direction. She had seen this look from boys before, it was playful. Beth watched him walk by her. He was tall, muscular and would be quite capable of taking down a few walkers. If she wanted to get out of here, she had to start thinking like Daryl, even if it meant using someone else.

 

There were people walking around in the same looking scrubs as her, the only difference being that they had their names written on tags in black marker but it was the only evidence she saw that proved they were still in the apocalypse. Beth made sure to look down at the floor, it had a thin layer of dirt, but she could still see her reflection in its surface.

 

“Do you gotta look in the mirror all the time?” Daryl folds his arms, but he doesn’t go into the bathroom incase she’s like … Naked or something.

 

“Gotta keep up with appearances, Mr Dixon!” Beth calls out, a hint of laughter shortly follows. She looks at her reflection in the mirror and grimaces as she ties up her greasy hair. She never had her hair up before all of this started, but now it was the only hairstyle she knew.

 

Daryl waits outside, back against the wall. He wants to take Beth out hunting, it was her request so why is it taking her a goddamn age to get her ass in gear? He looks up at the ceiling and grimaces slightly.

 

“Sorry.” He murmurs, he knows Beth believes in God and faith and hope and all that. Previously, he couldn’t have given a rats ass about it but he had listened in on Beth’s prayers and he didn’t want to insult her or anything.

 

“Ready!” Beth emerges from the bathroom with a grin plastered across her face, she giggles softly at Daryl’s eye roll.

 

“All you did was put your hair up.” Daryl states, evidently confused.

 

“Yup.” Beth shrugs and takes Daryl’s wrist, making sure to avoid his hand and walks downstairs with him, she picks up his crossbow on the way out.

 

Daryl darted to the side and went to pick up his crossbow at the sound of the door opening before realising that he didn’t have it. Rick was the first up, his back against the the wall of the cart right next to the door so it would be harder for whoever was coming inside to gain the upperhand.

 

“Wakey, wakey, rise and shine! Leader, Archer, Samuari come out first in that order! Everyone else follows with the kid at the end.” Gareth’s voice rang out loud in the metallic cart, but no one moved. “Move it, move it, move it!” Gareth clapped his hands to add to the effect and everyone filed into a line.

 

Daryl had thought of at least six different ways to kill the fucker by the time he stepped out of the cart. The wind was rough and whipped his hair about his face, he had forgotten how long it had gotten. He vaguely remembered a comment Beth had made about it, had perhaps joked about cutting it for him. 

 

“Arms behind your heads, that’s right people, we’re doing this cops and robbers style!” Gareth put his arms behind his head as he walked up the line, admiring his handy work.

 

Reluctantly Daryl moved his hands to behind his head, this fucker was so degrading. To his surprise, the ginger guy, Abraham was the last to fill out Gareth’s request and only moved when a gun moved behind some chick’s head. Daryl had to give the guy credit for his resilience, even if it was stupid.

 

Daryl took this opportunity to take in his surroundings. He was sure he spotted the place close to where most of their weapons were buried and to his left, just past the carts were the main gates to the hell hole. Rick must have saw him planning a route because he gave him a quick shake of the head, but Daryl wasn’t able to respond because he was suddenly pulled from the queue and had a dirty rag tied around his mouth. If Merle had been there perhaps he would have fought them off, but he realised how stupid that idea would have been quickly enough. He took a quick glance and saw that Carl, Glenn and Bob been travelling were pulled too. Was he really going to be responsible for every member of the Greene family’s death?

 

Daryl felt the butt of a gun slam into his lower back, but he was determined not to stumble. Instead, he raised his head and spat at the floor behind him before walking. They were taken into a long, cold room and were placed on their knees. The rest of the group were escorted in after them, his confusion grew as he saw that they all had rags tied around their mouths too. Was it to stop them screaming? And if it was, why? Surely everyone who lived here knew they were eating people? If not, it was a pretty fucked up place, not that it wasn’t already.

 

“My friends, we are gathered here to thank you for the sacrifices you are making today,” his voice was sombre, as though he was genuinely upset about having to kill them. “Your sacrifice enables everyone here at Terminus to live longer and search for a cure to end the disease that plagues the world we live in.” At this, surprisingly, Bob spoke up. “I’m sorry, son. I can’t hear.” Gareth smirked and literally swaggered over to Bob.

 

“We have a man who knows the cure.” Bob panted, looking up at his captor.

 

“Oh, I’ve heard this one before.” Gareth chuckled and looked around for his comrades to laugh with him. “Tell me why he’s different.”

 

“We need to get him to Washington.” Bob stared straight at Gareth. “Heard that one?” At Gareth’s silence, he continued. “This man has been on the phone to Washington. They sent an entire convoy to take him from Texas. Would they do that for a man they didn’t think had the cure?” Sweat began to drip from the top of his head and onto the cement floor.

 

This seemed to take Gareth by surprise and he mulled over his next decision very carefully. 

 

“Take them back to the cart. Bring out some others whilst we discuss what to do.” Then as quickly as they had been taken out, they were thrown back in and the rags were removed.

 

Daryl didn’t partake in any of the conversations. He didn’t bother listening to Eugene’s story about how he had been ‘recruited’ or all the uproar his retelling caused. The only thing he did was nod to Bob as he walked past in thanks, before remembering he couldn’t actually see him from the corner he was in.

 

He approached Rick, the only person beside himself who was sat alone away from all the chaos.

 

“What do you think?” Even though Daryl couldn’t see, he knew Rick had turned to look at him to see his answer.

 

“They just playin’ with us.” Daryl rested his head on the wall with a resounding thud, causing people to break away from their uproar for a minute or so before going back to Eugene.

 

“You think?” Rick turned away again and sighed. 

 

They sat together in silence for what Daryl timed, an hour before the doors opened once again and Gareth stepped in.

 

“Up and at ‘em! I’m busting you guys out!” The cart fell silent, they knew not to expect such good fortune. “On one condition.” Gareth smirked, it wasn’t like they could deny him. “I come with you.”


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and the group have an anticlimactic escape from Terminus, but things get heated between Daryl and Maggie.
> 
> Beth meets one of the 'highers' who welcomes her to the complex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I adore this story, I've got such good things planned! Of course, this is just a bit of fun so there are a few mistakes with spelling and grammar, etc but I promise I proof read over and over!

Of course, as soon as the words escaped Gareth’s lips the whole cart exploded in uproar. Daryl just tried to shut them out as he tried to think. He would escape with the rest of the group and split, he didn’t know much, but he knew finding Beth Greene was the most important thing on his list. It would mean leaving Rick … He doubted the cop would want to come with him, if it was between finding a cure and finding a girl, even if she was Hershel’s, he knew what the answer would be: ‘We have to think of our priorities, Daryl. I’m sorry.’

 

He wasn’t entirely sure when he was going to tell the group. Perhaps when they were happy with the situation, he had no idea where Beth was, or even where to look, but it was just something he had to do. It had started with a gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach, a rare feeling. If he thought about the last time he actually felt that low he would remember it was when Merle was left on that rooftop, that was his fault. The gnawing grew and grew and grew into an overwhelming nausea that left Daryl breathless for several minutes and all he could think of was Beth’s doe eyes staring intently into his own, the way she tied her hair by flipping her head forward and scraping the strands into her hair band, her melodic voice that could send him to sleep in an instant. 

 

“So, get ready, chaps. We’re on our way.” Apparently everyone had decided to let him come along, not like they had a choice. Daryl didn’t trust the guy, but he was letting them escape so he didn’t care whether he came along or not, so long as he got his crossbow back.

 

Daryl trailed after the group and watched Maggie in particular. Her hand was clasped tightly in Glenn’s and her eyes darted around before settling on Daryl. He would tell her everything that happened with him and Beth before he went, he owed her that much. She looked broken, but there was still a fire inside her that only a Greene could ignite. Though she looked a nervous wreck, Daryl knew she’d be more than prepared to react if things went sour, he was grateful for that.

 

Their escape was so anticlimatic even Daryl was dissapointed. He had been expected a group of armed Terminus folk to come out and shower lead upon them, but there was no such firefight. Daryl was handed back his crossbow and he walked next to Maggie, keeping his eyes trained to the floor as he spoke.

 

“I’m sorry, for what I said.” Daryl offered, it was the best she was going to get, so she dare not ask for more.

 

“Me too.” Maggie nodded, he felt her eyes on him, but he refused to look up at the patch of ground.

 

“I’m gonna go find her.” Daryl sighed, he wished he didn’t have to leave, but this guilt and … Desire to find Beth had left him feeling so empty.

 

"I knew you would." Daryl frowned at this and raised his head to meet her blue eyes that were happy and sad all at once. "I knew that you’d be the one to find her.” Her eyes quickly left his to watch her husband.

 

“You ‘aint comin’ with me?” Daryl frowned, he could feel the anger boil. When Merle didn;t come back with Rick he searched as hard as he could for his older brother and it made him sick that Maggie might not do the same for Beth, who was a better person than Merle three times over.

 

“Daryl…” Maggie bit her bottom lip gently and her voice dropped to a hush. “What makes you think she’s alive?”

 

“Y’know wha’ she made me do when we first ended up together?” Daryl’s hand tightened around his crossbow and he struggled to keep calm. “Find you. She’s a better person than you ever could be, Maggie.” Daryl spat at her feet and whirled around before storming off in the opposite direction.

 

He felt a hint of hope that it was Maggie when he heard footsteps behind him, but when he turned it was Glenn. The Korean’s hair hung limply over his face, he’d suffered a few cuts and bruises on his travels and he still looked ill from the sickness that infected the prison, but he was still a good looking kid, the kind you’d take home to meet your folks.

 

“Hey man, not cool.” Glenn walked in front of Daryl to prevent the archer from moving further. His eyes found Daryl’s and he instantly avoided his gaze.

 

“Outta my way.” Daryl looked up, he’d forgotten how fierce Glenn had grown since meeting Rick, it was like all this courage had blossomed as soon as the two of them met.

 

“No.” Glenn held out a hand, almost touching Daryl’s chest but the older man just swatted it away.

 

“I’m gonna go find Beth.” 

 

The statement seemed to astonish him. His features softened and he knew what was coming; the inevitable condescension. Glenn was a good kid, but he pitied people so quickly it made Daryl sick, he tried too hard to understand people’s feelings rather than why he had them, like a kid.

 

“Look man-”

 

“No,” The anger erupted from Daryl like a volcano, who the fuck was Glenn, who hadn’t even asked him how he’d been, who he was with or even if he was okay, to tell him what to do? “That girl does not deserve what happened to her, y’hear?!” He wanted to calm it, to keep attention away from himself, but the surge of guilt he felt for Beth took charge of all his actions. “So I’m gonna find her, because I am damned if I leave her out there when we’re able to go get her, understand?!” 

 

“Woah, Daryl.” But Daryl didn’t see the hardened survivor in front of him, he saw the kid who wore baseball caps and would flinch when Daryl even looked at him and perhaps in any other instance this would have calmed him down, but it just infuriated him more. He shoved Glenn away from him and continued walking, Rick had Carl, Carl had Michonne, those two would be fine, if it didn’t hurt so much he would have said goodbye.

 

“How do you feel about goodbyes?” Beth asks Daryl, he treads slowly, one foot in front of the other as he tries to track a squirrel down. His crossbow is pointed and his concentration slips as she speaks.

 

“Can y’shuddup?” Daryl hisses back at the blonde and she promptly falls silent.

 

For a minute.

 

“I never liked ‘em. You told me that at the prison, remember? When Zach died?” Her voice softens at the memory of Zach, as far as Daryl recalls he was her boyfriend. He wasn’t sure for how long, but when he told her about his death she hadn’t cared. “But why don’t you like ‘em?” Daryl doesn’t need to look, he knows Beth has stood still with that slight tilt in her head and her hands on her hips.

 

“Well why don’t you?” Daryl shrugs in response, he’s too busy staring at the ground straining his eyes for signs of animal life.

 

“I asked you first.” Beth shrugs, but continues walking. “But I guess … It seems so, final. Y’know? I mean, if I’m sayin’ goodbye to someone I wouldn’t want them to leave, so why would I wish they had a good time away from me?” Beth makes a disgruntled noise before continuing. “It’s just … It makes sense to me.”

 

Daryl actually listens to her talking and though he doesn’t understand the feeling, he agrees completely with what she’s saying. ‘I just want my brother back.’ races through his mind and he is brought back to that moment where he saw his older brother eating another human, his eyes were a milky white as they focussed on his baby brother and a small growl had escaped his lips.

 

“Daryl?”

 

“Wha’?”

 

“I asked if you were okay?” Beth puts a cold hand on Daryl’s wrist and it takes him by complete surprise, he whirls around and nearly sends her tripping over her feet.

 

“Sorry.” Daryl offers, his face red he pulls her up, but Beth knows there is something more to his blush.

 

“What’s wrong?” Beth keeps her hand on his wrist, she feels his veins as he tenses but she doesn’t let go. 

 

“Merle.” Is all Daryl offers and he looks down at the contact between them.

 

“You miss him?” Beth keeps her eyes on Daryl’s face and studies his features. She watches the way his hair covers one eye that averts her gaze, she watches the way he bites his lip as he tries to fill the silence and she watches the way he shies away from every contact.

 

“Wha’ is this? A damn therapy session?” Daryl rolls his eyes, a nervous chuckle soon follows, but it sounds foreign, almost faked.

 

“Kinda.” Beth shrugs again and slowly moves her hand down until she is holding his again, the crossbow is now held by one hand as he allows her to comfort him.

 

“Y’miss Maggie?” He responds, desperate to escape the questioning.

 

“Of course. Look, it doesn’t matter what kinda person he was, Daryl. He was your brother and from what I can gather, he was the closest thing to family you had, it’s okay to miss him.” Beth smiles so sweetly that Daryl can’t help but admire it. It occurs to him that no one has told him that missing Merle was a normal process, because he was a bad person he supposed, but knowing that someone like Beth didn’t judge him settled him somewhat.

 

“Look, Greene, y’want me t’get dinner or what’?” Daryl smirks and nudges the blonde and they walk along the forest floor again, with Daryl in front and Beth smiling affectionately after him.

 

“Why are we doin’ this again?” Beth walked slightly quicker to catch up with Derrick.

 

“Someone wants to meet you.” Derrick smiled back at Beth and continued walking. Beth, against every fibre in her being, liked Derrick. He was kind and understanding, he didn’t get angry when she forgot small things or asked questions about where she was and it surprised her too; she’d been kidnapped surely her captors should be hiding things from her?

 

“Oh yes, thank you.” Beth nodded and continued walking.

 

They stopped opposite two blanched white doors that had a few scuffs and scratches on them but there had been an attempt to cover them up. Derrick put his hand delicately on Beth’s back and encouraged her inside the doors.

 

“They want to see you alone.” Derrick smiled. “Go on.”

 

With a gentle push, Beth was through the doors and walking up another small corridor. It was dimly lit and hurt her eyes, but it reminded her of the prison and a pang of pain spread through her body again, leaving her aching and tired. At the end of the corridor was a lecture theater, but she was the only one there. A woman stood on the stage and smiled warmly at her, gesturing her to one of the first seats.

 

“Apologies for this being in such a formal setting, but we have no choice you see.” The woman was simply plain. There was nothing memorable about her apart from a jagged scar that went down the left side of her neck and disappeared under her scrubs, but it got Beth wondering where the woman could get such a scar. “My name is Rose, I’m one of the ‘highers’ here at our home.” Rose offered a small, embarrassed smile. “We haven’t quite thought of a name for this place yet. What’s your name?”

 

“Beth…” Her response was quiet so she cleared her throat and tried again. “My name is Beth.”

 

“Ah, Beth. Nice to meet you.” Rose quickly stepped down the stairs and shook Beth’s hand, but she didn’t retreat back to her podium.

 

“Can you tell me why I’m here?” Beth’s anger seemed to have been washed away in her shower and she was left with an ache that made her bones numb.

 

“I’m afraid we can’t.” Rose sighed softly and offered something of a small shrug as an act of apology.

 

“Then why are you talkin’ to me?” How could this woman not expect her to ask questions? She had been stolen from the one person that cared about her and Rose seemed to brush off every question like they were having a leisurely chat.

 

“I’m your … Welcoming committee.” The sentence rolled off the tongue all wrong and Beth made sure to remember that, it could be important later on. “I say this, but Derrick and Kyle will be the ones to show you around the complex. This was just for me to meet you.” Rose smiled, shook Beth’s hand again and disappeared behind the door.

 

Beth was sure the meeting had lasted only two minutes at most, but it had seemed like hours. Here she was, in this stupid hospital? Yes, she was sure it was a hospital and there were so many people here … There were more people here than at the prison when the Woodbury group joined them, it made her uncomfortable and, she hated to admit it, excited.

‘You gotta stay who you are, not who you were.’ The advice she had given Daryl bounced around her brain and she nodded slowly, feeling her hope rise in the pit of her stomach. It spread across her arms, her legs, up her neck and down her back and swallowed her in an ocean of strength, if she had to get out of this place, she had to begin planning now.


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth discovers just how many people are within the compound she's staying in.
> 
> Daryl begins his journey to find his light at the end of the tunnel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN- Hey guys! The Walking Dead is next month! I’m not sure whether I’ll carry on with this story when the season starts because obviously this fic won’t follow the storyline, but I’ll keep writing till then. I also start school this week, so there will definitely not be as many updates, but don’t lose faith in me!
> 
> This one’s a little cheesy for my liking, but I think it was the best way to go with this!
> 
> Enjoy!

Beth was promptly escorted to the cafeteria by Derrick, but nothing could have prepared her for what she saw. There were hundreds of people; so many that there had been walls knocked down to accommodate the massive numbers. They were of all ages, some newborn babies and some were so old Beth was certain that they couldn’t outrun a walker, but here they were, acting like they were not living in the apocalypse.

“Why don’t you take a seat with Kyle and me?” Derrick smiled slightly as his hand rested on the small of her back, he walked her over to his table.

“Nice to see you again, Beth.” Kyle nodded slightly at her, shyly. Beth knew that he liked her, he looked at her the way Zack and Jimmy looked at her, it didn’t bother her much, it just made her life easier.

“And you, Kyle.” Beth smiled softly and made herself look shy.

If there was one thing Beth Greene had learned from her sister, it was how to get any boy you wanted. Kyle was the perfect guy for this, he was shy and sweet and wanted to make her comfortable, yet couldn’t deny the fact that he was completely and utterly attracted to her. Maggie literally had to bat boys away from her and Beth had almost the same problem growing up, which is of course why Maggie taught her. There wasn’t anyway her baby sister was going to be harassed by hormonal teenage boys who couldn’t keep their dicks in their pants.

She decided to observe the cafeteria from her seat, no point in drawing attention to herself. She had to keep reminding herself to be like Daryl, be smart and live. The people there seemed happy, as if they hadn’t suffered nearly as many hardships as she had, then it occurred to her that perhaps these people were already there when the outbreak started. 

Thinking of hospitals and doctor’s made her heart hurt. Her father had been the resident Doctor and everything ached when she looked around, she knew her daddy would have loved to have lived here. It wasn’t just her dad that made her sad though, she had Maggie too. Though the rest of the group was her family too, Beth couldn’t help but worry about Maggie the most, had she gotten out? If she had, who was she with? Did she look for her? Something in the pit of her stomach told her that Maggie hadn’t even thought about where she might be. If she didn’t get out with Glenn, he would be her first priority and it was something that Daryl had told her in the first few weeks of the prison falling.

“Y’now she ‘aint lookin’ for’ya. I don’t get why y’wanna look.” Daryl grumbles, but he continues to search the ground for footprints with Beth looking on eagerly. He’s ashamed of the fact that he’s the one acting like a petulant teen; Beth should be the one acting like he is, not taking charge and sorting things out. But even so, he doesn’t bother to shape up. He’d look after Beth, purely because he couldn’t save her daddy, but that was all. He wasn’t going to let himself get close to someone again, not after losing everyone he’d ever actually cared about.

“Nice to see you’re in such a good mood.” Beth rolls her eyes. She’s growing tired of him acting so petty 24/7. She thought that she was the one who was meant to be sitting in silence, refusing food and warmth purely to make things difficult, but it appears that Daryl has already shotgunned this position and there’s no way the both of them can wallow in self pity. She misses her daddy, it’s funny, because she knows that he would be the only one who could console her. He was there when her mama died, and he was there when she died again. He was always there for her, but when he wasn’t Maggie was. Maggie …

“Y’finished daydreamin’, princess?” Daryl rolls his eyes despite knowing it’s unfair for him to tell her to stop mourning considering the way he’s been acting and he wasn’t even the one to lose a father, that had happened long ago.

“Excuse me?” Her voice is a shadow of a whisper at first, but Daryl can feel the anger rise from her like steam from a hot shower. His mind wanders to things he probably shouldn’t be thinking of when a hard shove brings him to his senses. “I said excuse me?!” 

The shoves kept coming, this was something that Beth liked to do whenever she was made at Daryl, she knew they never hurt but she did them anyway and usually apologised straight away when she realised what she’d been doing. However, this time there is a completely different side to Beth Greene, the shoves him again and again, forcing him to back up against a tree; it’s not like he’s going to push her back, right?

“Alrigh’, alrigh’ I shouldn’ta said it!” Daryl holds his hands up in defeat at first, though he grows more and more irritable with each passing second.

“You don’t know anythin’ about me!” Beth screeches and suddenly Daryl snaps.

He swings his body to left whilst moving Beth with him so it is she who is pinned against the tree. The muscles in his arms twitch with tension as she keeps the petite girl there, firmly in his grip. For a moment or so they stare each other down, before Daryl, ashamed, looks away solemnly and lets his arms drop to his side limply.

“Coulda saved him y’know.” Daryl mumbles under his breath and before Beth can even begin to respond he trudges back the way they came as he tries to figure out the trail he’s tracking. 

Beth doesn’t respond, but her heart sinks at the guilt Daryl must feel so she grabs his hand tight for a second, perhaps as an apology before walking on ahead to find more tracks for him to follow.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been walking, maybe an hour or two, before he realised he had no clue where he was. If he wasn’t as wired up with emotion as he was right now he might have been able to find a track of something, if it was only a deer or a walker. With a defeated sigh he dropped the crossbow to the floor and sat down where he was. Beth was out there, somewhere and he knew she was alive, it wasn’t like a cliched aching in his heart, but more of a fire that spread throughout him that only she could kindle. He laid back on the grass with his arms behind his head and thought about her. He thought about her a lot now that he didn’t have her, if he was a more romantic man he might have said that he was pining for the youngest Greene. Maybe if he lay for a second he could clear his-

A snap of a twig from behind brings the present rushing back to him and his most recent thought of Beth is chased from his head as he grabbed the crossbow and aimed it at the noise. His finger resting anxiously on the trigger his eyes quickly sweep the surroundings. The twig snaps again and he squeezes the trigger gently, itching to release an arrow from the weapon.

“Woah, man! It’s only me!” Glenn stumbled from the shadows of the forest and walked out with his arms raised in surrender, Maggie follows with her arms folded across her stomach and behind her is Rick, Carl and Michonne.

“Did I fuckin’ ask for a search party?” Daryl frowned and got to his feet, a small sense of victory rushed through him as he walks over to the ‘search party’.

“We thought about what you said.” Glenn shrugged and clapped a hand supportively on Daryl’s shoulder before he sat on the grass to keep a watchful eye out for walkers.

“Where’s the rest of ‘em?” Daryl frowned, he was referring to the ginger guy, mullet man, the two chicks they were with and Gareth.

“They went to find the cure, we’re here to find one of our own.” Rick emerged to the front of the back and nodded at Daryl once. “You’re right, we aren’t leavin’ her out there.” Carol followed his father and Daryl reached out a hand to ruffle his hair before remembering he was still wearing the Sheriff hat that Rick used to sport. Michonne trailed behind them silently and all that left was Maggie.

“I’m doin’ this because she’s my baby sister. Not because of what you said, get it?” She glared at him as she passed and sat with Glenn on the grass, when Daryl looked back again their hands were interlocked.

Daryl knew how dangerous it was to feel hopeful in a world like the one they lived in but maybe, just maybe they had a chance of finding Beth Greene.


End file.
